Minus 20 degrees? 40 mph wind? A look at the chilly NFL weekend from Chicago to Miami

One of the coldest weekends in NFL history could be in store for teams across the country starting on Christmas Eve when a bomb cyclone hits the eastern two-thirds of the country.

Cities like Cleveland, Nashville and Charlotte could see their lowest RealFeel temperatures in years, creating a frigid slate of games that could determine the fates of several teams in the playoffs.

Cyclone bomb? Bomb cyclone.

Where do all these low temperatures come from? Canada, said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brian Thompson. As a storm known as a bomb cyclone anchored over the eastern half of Canada, cold air was sent into the US with blistering winds.

A bomb cyclone is a rapidly intensifying storm. In any storm, atmospheric pressure drops, but in bomb cyclones this pressure drops especially quickly. This causes strong winds over a wide area, as air that rises quickly near the center of the storm must be replaced by air surrounding the storm.

“The fuel for all of these cold games is a huge storm that’s called a bomb cyclone because of how quickly it’s intensifying,” Thompson said. Athletic. “All this cold air is flowing from Canada into most of the Midwest, into the Plains and east, pretty far south, even through Florida. It has caused all this wind and will continue to cause all this wind, especially on Saturday.”

Here’s what to expect in each game:

New Orleans at Cleveland, 1 p.m., Saturday

It’s clear that northern cities will suffer the most from the unforgiving temperatures, and players arriving from The Big Easy will need to quickly adapt to the single-digit temperatures and brutal winds.

According to Thompson, the temperature will be 8 degrees at the start of the match and will only rise to 11 by the end of the game. The RealFeel will hover between minus 20 and minus 15. Thompson added that the wind will blow across FirstEnergy Stadium from the southwest, likely forcing one team at a time. Expect this to affect coin toss decisions.

Buffalo at Chicago, 1 p.m. Saturday

It is called the Windy City for a reason. The opening temperature will be even colder than Cleveland, around 6 degrees, but probably won’t get above 10. Winds will drop the RealFeel temperature to 20 degrees below zero for the Bills and bears.

While both teams generally have to get used to winter weather, there’s no way to prepare for the type of wind that will hit Soldier Field.

“The wind is out of the west, so it’s going to be a crosswind that’s not ideal for passing, gusting up to 30-35 mph in Chicago,” Thompson said.

Atlanta at Baltimore, 1 p.m., Saturday

Further east in Baltimore, a couple of teams, right down to their backup quarterbacks, will also need to get creative with their play. With an initial temperature of 16 degrees, wind gusts of up to 30 mph will bring the RealFeel to zero, Thompson said.

Neither that nor the other Falcons a beginner Desmond Reeder no Crows the starter Tyler Huntley threw a touchdown pass this season, and those conditions may not be ripe for their first.

Detroit at Carolina, 1 p.m., Saturday

In Charlotte, North Carolina, Lviv will battle temperatures in the low 30s early in the game and a RealFeel that will remain in the 20s throughout the game as they hope to continue their hot streak at the end of the season.

“Definitely the wind will have the biggest impact,” Thompson said of Saturday’s games. “I know, especially with the over/under gamblers, I know the smaller money is already pretty low.”

Houston at Tennessee, 1 p.m., Saturday

Fans in Nashville, Tennessee won’t escape the winter weather either. With a temperature of 16 degrees at the start of the game, which may only rise to 21 degrees by the end of the game, fans should expect layers of clothing.

Winds of 15 to 25 mph will certainly play a factor on the field Texans and Titans too.

“By Nashville standards, that’s probably the equivalent of a foot of snow in Cleveland and Chicago,” Thompson quipped.

Nashville Mayor John Cooper tweeted On Saturday morning, he asked the Titans to postpone the game to help limit power consumption in the area after the Tennessee Valley Authority announced a gradual blackout. TVA said “unprecedented cold temperatures” have led to “high demand for electricity.”

Cincinnati at New England, 1 p.m., Saturday

RealFeel negative temperatures can also be found in Foxboro, Massachusetts. How of Bengal and Patriots to play, temperatures will climb into the twenties and 40 mph winds will feel more like minus 10.

This wind will also be blowing from the southwest, creating a crosswind effect that will affect both teams throughout the game.

Las Vegas at Pittsburgh, 8:25 p.m., Saturday

The weather at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh couldn’t get any kinder on Saturday night. How Raiders and Steelers in general, winds from the storm will be 15 to 25 mph, so 12 degrees will feel more like 5 to 10 degrees below zero.

Green bay at Miami, 1 p.m., Sunday

How do you like your Christmas present? Weather conditions in the sunshine state! Green Bay may have the advantage of the conditions as a road team, as the opening temperature of 53 degrees likely won’t climb much higher.

“The Packers are going to think it’s heat, but we’re getting 57 in Miami on Sunday, so it’s a very cold day by Miami standards,” Thompson said.

(Photo: Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)